Not surprisingly, Rafael Nadal couldn't take a step around the grounds of the Davis Cup Final 8 in recent days without hearing requests for a handshake or a selfie . And that was just from the other professional tennis players, to speak nothing of the fans.
The significance of Nadal's retirement is lost on no one inside or outside the sport he is walking away from at age 38 after a litany of injuries , and for all of the well-documented success he enjoyed, his greatest legacy might be the way he inspired other players. The 22-time Grand Slam champion and all-time great of the game lost the last match of his career as Spain was eliminated by the Netherlands in the quarterfinals as Tuesday turned to Wednesday.
The last man to face - and beat - Nadal, 80th-ranked Botic van de Zandschulp, who is 29, spoke after his 6-4, 6-4 victory about idolizing the Spaniard. Many current players grew up watching Nadal, admiring him for his skill - from the big, topspin left-handed forehands to the pinpoint volleys and everything in between - and his relentless nature, his commitment to seeking improvement and, maybe most of all, his off-court humility.
He set an example for others, from contemporaries Roger Federer or Novak Djokovic or Serena Williams, to members of the following generations, including heir apparent Carlos Alcaraz.
"I was a big Rafa fan. Used to wear all his kits, his shoes, everything. A lot of neon colors," said Ben Shelton, a 22-year-old member of the U.S. team that faces Australia on Thursday, when the other quarterfinal is defending champion Italy and No. 1-ranked Jannik Sinner against Argentina. "And being a lefty, he's a guy that I have always kind of watched and tried to learn things from. One of those perfect examples of how to do things on and off the court, how to handle the press, how to win with class, how to lose with class."
